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Gordon played Warringah today and there were a few Force players in action. DHP was playing for Gordon and was sensational when he got the ball- really strong in the tackle and always over the gain line. Ben Whittaker was also with Gordon and only got about 20 minutes but he's definitely a big boy and very powerful and scored a try by barrelling through at the side of a ruck.
For Warringah we had Haig Sare, Pek Cowan and Brett Sheehan. I didn't see much of Sare but Cowan and Sheehan were outstanding. I think Sheehan ended up as MOM and he ended it being hot in attack (a break and chip setting up an easy try) and excellent in defense (tackled a moving prop and sent him back the other way- good effort for a half-back). Cowan had some great ball carries and made a fair few metres. He was really good at keeping his feet and keeping the ball moving forward.
Just thought you guys might like to know.![]()
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
That's a huge effort by them boys. Awards night, red eye, rugby![]()
DHP was very solid in the first half in the tackle it was the first vtime I had seen him play and he has a great deal of potential in him. Cowan was strong on the ball, a little off put in the scrum at times but solid. Sheehan was clearly superior to his opposite. He's a good buy. Seriously the RugbyWA board and the clubs should look at getting a side in the Shute Shield. The resurrection of the Perth Spirit. All locals prefferably.
Yeah Dane's definitely got the goods, he's been bagged a bit due to a couple of mistakes in U20s matches, but to be fair, much of the time he's been fantastic, and the mistakes have been after enourmous pressure and allowed a score through....that sort of pressure only comes to a fullback if the rest of the team's underperforming.
C'mon the![]()
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Would cost a lot to have a team in Sydney? And how would that work with the new Super 15 season?
I still think the players should play local club rugby here!
The 2 Holmes boys both played well for the Rats... Josh Holmes played well at 12 his bro looked good also. The Rats got an early strong lead and the Highlanders chased them down in the second half... Gordon lost focus on scoring in the last 10 minutes they just needed a field goal and the Rats shut them down... It was a game that the Highlanders should have taken... A good local match... DHP was good he should sign with Real Madrid....
http://www.realmadrid.com/cs/Satellite/en/Home.htm
More likely than him signing with the Ponies
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Could Rugby WA actually put a side in the Shute Shield? I doubt the Sydney teams would want to travel, so you have to get a local Sydney ground to adopt as a home ground, and then show the matches here either on TV or even on a big screen at MES?
The Perth Spirit (Force - Wallabies + Academy + upcoming local talent) would be a real handful. Needs some wrinkles ironed out, but could be the way to get the ARC running again!
If the Force put a team in the shute shield, they would have to fund teh exspense of flying to perth on there the WA home matches, or they would alternatively have to play all there matches in Sydney..
Canberra Vikings(Brumbies A) were in the NSW and QLD comps for quite a few years and had success, but eventually they were kicked out of the NSW and QLD comps.
I dont think its a good option for the development of the game though, you need those S14 players back in Perth raising the level of that comp.
Having a shute shield team would probably do less for individual development than having our players spread across clubs in the east - add in costs (which would have to be re-directed from the local comp) and it does us (ie. Force) no favours at all.
To get benefits in local rugby, anyone contracted to the Force should be playing (coaching/mentoring/training) at least 50% of their available game time here in WA during the local season. Sending them east is good for them individually, and good for the Force but unless they are passing that skill and knowledge locally somehow, it doesn't do much for the local game.
The local comp, being local, isn't going to get any better over night. And fair enough I'm not really involved in it like some people on here are so maybe I'm speaking out of place but I still think that the big thing for the WA local comp to increase in standard is with juniors. Invest more in coaching and academies for the younger players and they will improve the quality naturally. It seems like the quality of the schoolboy rugby from WA has improved a lot in the last few years and that will no doubt flow on to the local comp. The more rugby becomes an option as a professional sport the more talented juniors you get, because lets face it most guys want to be a sports star and pre-Force the only real opportunity was in the AFL, and the harder they work at it. For those that do make it great, but for those that don't they will still play rugby and probably play it here. But for the Force to be a serious option it needs to stay competitive both on and off the field. During the current dearth of experienced talent in Australian rugby and the fact that it will only get worse when a new team comes in in 2011 it seems logical to strengthen the squad by giving those players who aren't quite ready for full time S14 the closest possible experience. 10 years down the track the local comp could well be up to the standard of NSW and QLDs comps but only if the Force stays alive. Wouldn't it be a better long-term investment to put up with the shitty situation now if it means things will be better in the future?
Hell if we're lucky in a year or two we might be looking at resurrecting the ARC. Which would solve all our problems.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
When the S15 gets up and running it's just not going to be practical for players not in the match day 22 to play anywhere but Perth. So it's probably just a blip for a couple of seasons. Hopefully Mitch will have a similar outlook to Aussie Bob re releasing players. No reason bench players on Friday nights shouldn't even back up on Saturdays for club fixtures, subject to how much game time had. Keeping players in cotton wool only serves to make them look elsewhere. They all want to be playing Rugby much as possible
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
They wont let a Canberra side in... Let alone one from WA... We need another ARC in a fresh format...
Fresh format indeed if it happens, the one and only season was crap. Although personally I've already got my state side, lets beef up the local comp. If you don't play for the wallabies then its club rugby for you. It shouldn't be considered a negative thing, it's not a bad thing going to play club rugby.